Scaling up: from a Dalit untouchable to a well-respected family in the village #ifadscale

On 6 February 2013, IFAD held a panel discussion on "Scaling up from the perspective of our partners". This event brought together representatives form India, Argentina and Sao Tome who shared their respective models of scaling up.

We had the honour and pleasure of having Ratnamma - an extraordinary empowered lady. Ratnamma's inspiring story touched everyone's heart and soul. Yesterday afternoon, my lovely colleague Clare Bishop Sambrook, IFAD's Senior Technical Adviser for gender, empowerment and social inclusion stopped by to share her this marvelous and moving poem. I am sure this masterpiece will bring to life Ratnamma's story and touch your hearts and souls.

Thank you Clare for sharing this.

Scaling up: from a Dalit untouchable to a well-respected family in the village

by Clare Bishop Sambrook

The process
of

Empowerment

Is real

Married at
13

Five
children by 22

Husband
trapped as a bonded labourer

Unable to
feed her family

Unable to
send her children to school

Unable to
protect the health of her daughter

Unable to
access government services

Only able to
exist at the margin

Not only poor but also a Dalit

Unable to walk through the village wearing
shoes

Unable to drink from a cup

Unable to leave her head uncovered

Unable to raise her head

Not confident
that the self-help group was for her

Nothing to
save

Nothing to
give

A life of
exclusion

But……

Joining the
self-help group

Became the
entry point

For life on
the pathway to change

A group loan freed her husband from
bonded labour

A campaign freed her daughter from
child labour

The self-help group federation school
freed her children from a life of survival

And her own life
became one that would have been unrecognisable

A leader of
a group of 15 women

A president
of the federation of 9000 women

A community
resource person

A business
woman

A mother of
children with professional qualifications and formal employment